The National tribune., 1887-02-24
SUNDAY MEDITATION.

Practical Duties Taught by Study OF the later
national sunday school LsssOH Appointed for
March q. GeH-. q i-lf.
iOne reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures As
indicated abOvc.l
SUBJECT: ABRAHAM OFFERING Isaac.
We last studied the account of the destruc-
ti0n OF SodOm, which dated Il. c. 1897. Our
lesson now relates to the demand made of
Abraham 10 slay his son Isaac and make Of him
"A human sacrifice. Between these two lessons
we have account of the origin of the MOabitcs
and Ammonites; the removal ofAbraham from
Hebron TO Gerar; the escape Of Sarah from
Abimclcch the birth of Isaac; the removal Of
Abraham from Gerar 10 Beersheb... Isaac was
born in Beersheba in the year 2i05 \. NJ, when
Abraham was 100 years old (2l %; l7:I7) aud
Sarah 90 years of age. u7:l7)
The word Beersheba means The rel Of an oath.
1t was at Beersheba Abraham, Abimeech and
Phichol entered into solemn treaties, and rati-
fed them by Oaths. (2l % 32 The transaction
was near a well, and hence the name meaning
a well and an oath, or the oath-well. The place
was at the extreme southern boundary of Ia
nam, while Dan was at the enorthern end. Hence
the expression from Dan to Beersheba meant the
entire land of Canaan. Beersheba was % miles
southwest from Hebron. Abraham gave it its
name. (21 3D. We find nothing there now
but ruins Two large wells and five smaller
ones are pointed out TO the traveller.
S0dom was destroyed A. NJ. 2l07. Isaac was
born one year later. Josephus tells us Isaac
was - years old when bound on the altar at
Mt. Moriah Add - TO 2l05 and we have for
the date of present lesson 2l33 \. NJ, or 1871
Il. &. Abraham was l25 years old and lshmael
80 aud Sarah 1l5.
There was a region known as the land of
MOriah, containing several quite high hills.
Jerusalem was in that region, being itself con-
Ill nr.n nFN Nha a1a
was named from the region. viz, Mt. Moriah.
| Meaning as it does chosen Of the Lord, il was
most ftly named as having. later on, so many
associations connected with Judaism and Chris
| tianity When Solomon selected a spot for
building the temple the choice fell on Mt.
Moriah (2 Chron., 3:2) The name given
the place by Abraham was temporary, but very
expressive in the light of the incident we now
| study, to wit, Jehovah -Jireh, which means The
! Lord uiR proride It was 40 miles northeast of
/ Beersheba The temple at jerusalem was the
! exclusive place for Offering sacrifices among the
! Jews from the time of Solomon. This fact was
beautifully prefigured by theyirtual Offering of
Isaac on the altar at, Mt. Aoriah, and by the
actual sacrifice thereon pf the ram which, being
caught, served AS a burnt Offering instead of
| Abraham's son becoming hevictnI.
The incident we study Is styled Abraham's
trial of faith. The facts warrant the strong
| word trial, and the sequal elicits our wonder,
| admiration and praise, When Abram was 20
years old God promisedihim the land of Canaan
Us an inheritance though as yet he had no heir.
| l5:7) Then at Haran, when Abram was 30
years old, (l2: A. God promised to make of him
great Nation, (12 - and to render him a
blessing TO all families vi earth, tl2: B. and to
give To his seed the Land of Canaan. (I2:7.)
After Abram and Lot separsted, Abram being
81 years old, God appeared -tq him and prom
ised that his seed should bclcountless as the
dust us: lG.) 1t would Seam Abrams faith
began to wayer some for, in 5:2, we find him
quite east down. God visits and comforts him
with the assurance his offspring would resemble
the very stars for number. (l5:5.) At SO years
of age a son is born TO him, but the mother was
not Sarai. Instead she was an Egyptian wife
| of Abram. He was not the son who was 10 give
renown to Abram and make his family mum
berless as dust and stars. III: 20, 2l.) Then,
after all this strain on Abrams faith, after 80
years have passed since the promise of his
numerous progeny made to Abram at Ur. when
Abram is 100 years old, Isaac is born of Sarah
| t2l:5) Now there seems light. Now there is
prospect Of the promise of God as to Abrams
countless descendants being realized. No other
child is born 10 Abram. Twenty-Five years
pass, and behold God appears and tells Abra-
ham to take his son TO a certain mountain and
Staying him. offer him as burnt Offering a
human sacrifice Isaac was practically Abra.
hams "only SON." ". 2; Heb IL III Ish-
mael was virtually banished. Isaac was the
only son promised to Abraham the only son